• 17
  May
  2010

• Why You Should Research Study Abroad Insurance Online

  
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You may already realize that study abroad insurance is a smart investment for any student looking to participate in an international study program, but do you know how to go about researching it to make the right purchase? Like so many other things these days, you can find the information you need on the Internet.

One reason it makes sense to buy study abroad insurance online is that you can research and compare several different policies to find the one that best suits your personal needs. That way, you can avoid the possibility of buying a policy now that does not deliver everything you need later, or buying more coverage than you actually need.

Another benefit of buying online is that you can compare prices for different policies. Let's say you are comparing policies and find two that have comparable benefit levels. You decide that they would both suit your needs, but then you notice that one is much cheaper than the other. Imagine if you had not compared them online - you may have spent more money than you needed to.

Finally, by researching policies online, you may be able to find valuable customer reviews. There are lots of other international students online, and many of them participate in blogs and discussion forums in which they are happy to dispense advise to fellow students. By reading these reviews and asking some questions of your own, you can find out which policies are best and which ones to avoid. These impartial third parties are happy to help you make the right decision.

• 14
  May
  2010

• Buying International Student Health Insurance Online Can Save You Time and Money

  
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The Internet has revolutionized the way people buy insurance. Instead of meeting face-to-face with your local agent to discuss different types of insurance, you can now enter some basic data into a few different insurance providers' web sites and get quotes instantly. So rather than spend one hour getting an estimate from one agent, you can get quotes from 5-6. This theory applies to international student health insurance, and you can save quite a bit of time and money by buying it online.

The aforementioned ability to get quotes from multiple providers is perhaps the biggest advancement towards saving you money. You are now not just limited to a small pool of local insurance agents whom you can visit with in person, but instead to agents across the country and even some with no physical location at all who exist only online. With so many more choices, you are much more likely to find a favorable rate.

And with so much competition, companies will bid more aggressively to earn your international student medical insurance business. Unlike the old model in which an agent knew he just needed to have a lower price than his competitor down the street, insurance providers now must consider the pricing policies of competitors around the globe, so when you request a quote from them you can expect their very best price right away.

Finally, the ability to research coverage types and plans will save you money. You can now look at program components from many different plans side-by-side, and if you don't understand what something means you can quickly look it up online.With this additional knowledge and ability o comparison shop different features, you can find the best plan for your needs, which means you won't waste your money on unnecessary benefits.

• 13
  May
  2010

• 3 Things to Know When Buying Study Abroad Insurance

  
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A study abroad program is an exciting opportunity to expand your cultural horizons and grow as an individual. You are about to embark on an exciting journey in which you will discover many things about yourself as well as the world as a whole. As you prepare, you will hopefully consider protecting yourself with study abroad insurance, but you may be wondering what factors will go into determining the coverage you will need. Here's an overview of three factors:

The first factor that will help shape your policy is the length of your stay. Are you studying abroad for a semester? A year? Or some other increment of time? The amount of time you are spending overseas will help determine how much your policy will cost, as the longer you stay the more coverage you will want to buy.

Second, do you need coverage for dependents? Many international students may also be seeking coverage for a spouse or children, which will obviously incur additional charges for each dependent you add to your plan. You will be able to disclose this information on your application.

And a third important factor in buying study abroad insurance is what you want your deductible to be. If you are not familiar with deductibles, the idea is simple: it is the amount of claims that must be filed before your insurance kicks in. So if you have a $500 deductible, you will have to pay for the first $500 worth of claims yourself and then insurance will pay for all claims beyond that. The higher a deductible you choose, the lower your payment will be (since your insurance provider is assuming less risk and you are assuming more).

• 12
  May
  2010

• Don’t Forget Student Health Insurance When Booking Your Own Travel

  
  Filed Under: Health Insurance
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While student travel companies can provide some great deals for students going to popular destinations in large groups, there are times when it makes more sense to book your own travel. For example, if you are going in a small group or just by yourself, or you are traveling to an international destination that a student travel group doesn't cater to, you may want to hit the Internet and book your vacation yourself. When doing so, don't forget to add international student health insurance.

This is every bit as important a purchase as your airfare or your hotel accommodations. Because without international student health insurance, getting high-quality medical care when you need it at an affordable rate can be quite difficult.

International health insurance will give you access to a network of highly-qualified physicians, so no matter where you are staying you will be able to find a skilled doctor that you can trust. That is not always an easy task to accomplish by yourself when you are in another country where you may be unfamiliar with the language and infrastructure.

Additionally, this type of insurance will keep the costs of medical care down. Your native country's health insurance policy will likely not cover you on international soil, so you will be considered uninsured, which means you will have to pay for all medical care out of pocket. This can get very expensive, with routine doctor's visits starting out at a couple of hundred dollars. Health insurance for international students will absorb the bulk of those costs, leaving you to pay only a fraction and keeping your vacation budget intact.